1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic mail accounting system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is the increasing world-wide use of electronic mail systems as communications devices. The electronic mail system of the present invention has the functions of various types of electronic mail such as text mail, facsimile mail, voice mail, etc. through an electronic post office box called a "mail box" including communications through personal computers.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an electronic mail system. When electronic mail 12 is sent through the communications over personal computers, the electronic mail 12 sent by a sender 1 through his terminal 1a via a communications line 10 is stored in a storage unit (mail box) 11 in a personal communications center (electronic mail center) 2. If a receiver 3 specified as a destination of the electronic mail finds the electronic mail 12 addressed to him when he accesses the center 2 through his terminal 3a, he receives the electronic mail 12 by his terminal 3a via the communications line 10.
In the accounting method of the conventional electronic mail, the communications fee for the electronic mail 12 from the sender 1 to the center 2 is born by the sender, while the communications fee for the electronic mail 12 from the center 2 to the receiver 3 is normally born by the receiver 3.
However, if the communications fee for the electronic mail 12 from the center 2 to the receiver 3 is born by the receiver 3, there is the problem that the receiver 3 is subject to disadvantage because the fee is born by a sender on a total end-to-end basis in the accounting method of other normal communications systems.